1908 — Dec 1, Steamer D.M. Clemson sinks, Lake Superior storm near Whitefish Pt., MI-24

— 27 U.S. Congress. House Documents Vol. 25, 64th Congress, 1st Session, 1916, p. 49.
— 25 Logansport Pharos, IN. “Thinks Steamer and Crew Lost in Lake,” Dec 7, 1908, p. 1.
— 25 New York Times. “25 Given Up As Lost,” Dec 7, 1908, p. 3.
— 25 Washington Post. “Ship Sinks With 25 Men. Loss of the D.M. Clemson…,” Dec 7, 1908.
— 24 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 241.
— 24 Maritime History of the Great Lakes. “D. M. Clemson (Propeller), sunk, 2 Dec 1908.
— 24 Nash. Darkest Hours – A Narrative Encyclopedia of Worldwide Disasters… 1977, p. 694.
— 24 Swayze. Shipwreck!…Directory of…Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 55.
— 24 U.S. Bureau of Navigation. Merchant Vessels of the United States…1909, p. 391.
— 24 U.S. Steamboat-Inspection Service. Annual Report…Year Ended June 30, 1909. P. 473.
— 24 Wolff, Julius F., Jr. Lake Superior Shipwrecks. 1990, p. 128.

Narrative Information

U.S. Bureau of Navigation dates the loss as Dec 1, 1908 and notes that the ship was lost on its way from Lorain, OH to Duluth, MN. (U.S. Bureau of Navigation. Merchant Vessels of the United States…1909, p. 391.)

U.S. Congress: “December 17, 1908, northwest gale with snow. Steamer Clemson, 3,991 tons, length 468 feet, beam 52, draft 20 feet. Foundered off Crisp Point; total loss; 27 of the crew lost.” (U.S. Congress. House Documents Vol. 25, 64th Congress, 1st Session, 1916, p. 49.)

U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service: “The most serious disaster of the year occurred on or about November 30, 1908, in the vicinity of Whitefish Point, Lake Superior, when the steamer D. M. Clemson foundered from an unknown cause, resulting in the drowning of 24 persons. Navigation on the Great Lakes is particularly hazardous in the late fall, and the Clemson foundered during one of the severe storms that usually rage at that time.” (U.S. Steamboat-Inspection Service. Annual Report…Year Ended June 30, 1909. P. 473.)

Wolff: “November seemed to produce moderately tranquil sailing up until the last week when gales and snow raked the entire lake. The sledge hammer weather blast struck on the night of November 30 when blizzard conditions and 50 mph winds lambasted the area west of Whitefish Point, leaving an all-time mystery of Lake Superior. The new 468-foot, 5,531-ton steel steamer D.M. Clemson of Provident Steamship Company simply vanished with her 24-man crew. The Clemson was a Duluth-owned vessel [MN] belonging to the Wolvin interests. She had been built in Superior [WI] in 1903. She was powerful for her size at 1,800 horsepower. Her officers, Captain Samuel R. Chamberlain, First Mate W.E. McLeod and Chief Engineer J.J. McCoy, were all Duluth men as were several of her crew….

“On her last run, she left Lorain, Ohio, with a cargo of coal for Superior and winter layup, locking through the Soo at 9:30 a.m., November 30. She proceeded up the St. Marys River and through Whitefish Bay in company with the recently launched 432-fott, 5,069 steel steamer J.J.H. Brown under Captain F. D. Chamberlain. At Whitefish Point they separated, the Brown taking a northerly course under cover of the Canadian shoreline and the Clemson the more direct route to Manitou Island. Crewmen of the Brown were the last to see the Clemson. Not long after they parted, the Brown’s master reported encountering the most vicious snowstorm he had ever seen in his long career. For 12 hours, the Brown, a respectable 1,500-horsepower ship, just drifted with the seas, arriving at the Head of the Lakes more than a day late, somewhat the worse for wear….

“By December 9, wreckage was appearing on the south shore from Grand Marais to Whitefish Point. A water barrel and a life jacket with the name ‘D.M. Clemson’ washed up at Crisp Point. A pilothouse came ashore near Vermillion Point….The clincher came on December 15. A patrolling lifesaver sighted a body bobbing in the surf. The stencil on the life preserver said ‘D.M. Clemson.’ As far as western Lake Superior records indicate, this body found at Crisp Point and one discovered farther to the east two weeks later seem to be the only remains of the Clemson crew to reach land. At least two members knew that disaster was imminent and managed to put on life jackets….

“That death toll of 24 was the most serious since 1901. There was a truly ironic note in this tragedy. Captain Sam Chamberlain was about to retire. He had promised his wife that this would be his last trip….” (Wolff, Julius F., Jr. Lake Superior Shipwrecks. 1990, pp. 128-129.)

Newspapers

Dec 7: “Duluth, Minn., Dec. 7 – Owners say that the steel freighter D. M. Clemson sunk in a gale. Tugs are searching for the vessel. The crew numbered twenty-five, and it is probable all are drowned. Details are meagre. A. B. Wolvin of Duluth, owner of the Clemson, has abandoned hope and admits that the vessel is probably at the bottom of Lake Superior with her crew. S. R. Chamberlain of this city, is captain. The Clemson is a week overdue at this port. She was caught in the terrific gale of last week on lower Lake Superior. The vessel is 5,000 tons burden and was coal laden.” (Logansport Pharos, IN. “Thinks Steamer and Crew Lost in Lake,” 12-7-1908, p. 1.)

Dec 8: “Port William, Ont., Dec 8 – Captain Healland of the steamer Dundee states positively that the wreckage seen by himself and crew in Lake Superior, near Whitefish Point, was from the steamer Clemson of Duluth.” (Logansport Pharos, IN. “Saw Wreckage From the Clemson,” Dec 8, 1908, p. 1.)

Sources

Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. Boston: Mariners Press Inc., 1972.

Logansport Pharos, IN. “Saw Wreckage From the Clemson,” Dec 8, 1908, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=83635660

Logansport Pharos, IN. “Thinks Steamer [Clemson] and Crew Lost in Lake,” 12-7-1908, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=83635652

Maritime History of the Great Lakes. “D. M. Clemson (Propeller), sunk, 2 Dec 1908. Accessed 11-18-2020 at: https://images.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/details.asp?ID=46723

Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours – A Narrative Encyclopedia of Worldwide Disasters from Ancient Times to the Present. New York: Pocket Books, Wallaby, 1977, 792 pages.

New York Times. “25 Given Up As Lost” [Steamer Clemson, Lake Superior], Dec 7, 1908, p. 3. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=56995019

Swayze, David D. Shipwreck! A Comprehensive Directory of Over 3,700 Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. Boyne City, MI: Harbor House Publications, Inc., 1992.

United States Bureau of Navigation, Department of Commerce and Labor. Forty-First Annual List of Merchant Vessels of the United States…For the Year Ended June 30, 1909. Wash.: GPO, 1909. Digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=vF0uAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=editions:LCCNsn88028129#v=onepage&q=&f=false

United States Congress. House of Representatives. House Documents Vol. 25, 64th Cong., 1st Sess., 1916, “Supplemental Report on Reexamination of Harbor of Refuge at Grand Marais, Mich.” War Department, U.S. Engineer Office, Duluth, Minn., May 26, 1916, p. 49. Google digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=BJk3AQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=clmson&f=false

United States Steamboat-Inspection Service. Annual Report of the Supervising Inspector General, Steamboat-Inspection Service to the Secretary of Commerce and Labor for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1909. In Department of Commerce and Labor. Reports of the Department of Commerce and Labor 1909 (Report of the Secretary of Commerce and Labor and Reports of Bureaus). Washington, DC: GPO, 1910. Digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=aaUXAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Washington Post. “Ship Sinks With 25 Men. Loss of the D.M. Clemson…,” Dec 7, 1908, p. 2. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=5371563

Wolff, Julius F., Jr. Lake Superior Shipwrecks: Complete Reference to Maritime Accidents and Disasters. Duluth, MN: Lake Superior Port Cities, Inc., 1990.